Life & Work with Hannah Wicklund

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Wicklund

Hi Hannah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began playing piano at 3 years old, and started my first songwriting journal when I was 4. After learning classical pieces, Beatles songs, and writing for years, I picked up the guitar at 8 years old and formed my band ‘The Steppin Stones’ 6 months later. I have been working on my music, art and career with every fiber of my being since then.

My path took me to some very traumatic places early on in life, and perhaps that played a role in setting me up for a continued pattern of obstacles within my musical pursuits. At 16 years old I began touring after graduating high school 2 years early, mostly to escape the torment of my peers… growing up as a creative in a small southern town painted a type of target on my back that I was ready to escape. As my career began progressing quite quickly, so did the amount and types of people wanting to meet and work with me. I wish I could say I was prepared and chose wisely, but I’d be lying. I was 18 navigating this industry unprotected, once again a target. From where I stand today, I know that there are certain red flags I would not ignore, and I implore any artist in a relationship with anyone “helping” you to trust your gut.

If I were to describe where I am in my story, I’d say I have finally come full circle, back to the 4 year old who began writing songs because she loves to. I have fought what feels like a war to return home to myself in spite of the music industry wanting so badly to shape and dictate my expression, but with both feet planted firmly in the dirt, I feel excited to grow my own home for my music and art.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The struggles I have faced within the context of my career have broken my heart over and over and over again.

As a woman playing rock and roll, it has been a challenge damn near every day.
I have worked with the wrong men who intentionally kept roles in my team not filled or put people they could control in place in order to maintain control and manipulation over me, and it is a lot to sort through after a decade of being entrenched in ‘the biz’.

If it wasn’t the sound guys trying to teach me about my own tone, it was the door guy giving (underage)me an especially hard time. If it wasn’t the owner of the club kissing me as he handed me the check, it was the fan groping me during a photo. If it wasn’t the drummer I hired grunting behind me when I bend down to grab gear, it was my booking agent taking advantage of my innocence over the course of 3 years. If it wasn’t my manager completely dismissing 24 amazing songs, telling 21 year old me to “write more” (those songs later became my album ‘The Prize’), it was my next manager literally sabotaging my career and album because of my relationship. Yeah, I’m serious.

The single greatest struggle of my career is honestly one I’m still actively recovering from.

I met my now partner through the making of my last record ‘The Prize’. I was introduced to Sam by our mutual manager, with the idea that he may produce the record and that we would release the album independently on a label started by said manager and Sam’s very successful band. We hit it off in the studio and 2 months later, we had half a record and had began a relationship.

The 6 months that followed the beginning of our relationship were laced with so many confusing last minute cancellations, stalled announcements, lies and evasive maneuvering, I felt like I was going crazy. Literally. The situation did not compute and it wasn’t until I sat down to let this inept manager go that he told me that he saw my relationship as a “conflict of interest” and that it “made him uncomfortable”. Explaining his ineptitude. His fear of our relationship is still to be diagnosed, though I have my theories.

To summarize: as soon as my relationship began, this manager of mine started to actively work against me and my record in order to make *me* fire *him*. I suppose he couldn’t openly drop me as an artist over my relationship, so he simply created so much chaos yet non movement that I would leave him. The damage created by that single person in my career is truly immeasurable.

These are just some examples of what feels like a never ending list of my struggles, some intentionally placed obstacles.
And while I have accomplished so much despite so much, it has become very clear to me that sharing my story loudly is part of my power and my purpose; may others learn from my experiences alongside me.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Within my music is depth with which I bring to the surface alongside my guitar playing, my voice and my visual art.

Exploring my creativity in different mediums is very important to me, and marrying them has become equally important.

Something I am quite proud of is the visual world I created on a large scale with oil paintings based upon my last record ‘The Prize’. 5 of the 10 songs came to life with different animal representation and scenery from the same world; a castle floating on a cloud.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Without a doubt, the most important lesson I have learned in this lifetime has been to truly love yourself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hannahwicklund.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahwicklund/profilecard/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/15YSPGRtXL/
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/YLXnuxsd3Xk